Speaking before a Commons committee last week, Congress of Aboriginal Peoples president Christopher Sheppard-Buote described the $15 million that his organization had received through the Indigenous Community Support Fund as a “slap in the face” that prompted the group to file an application for judicial review.

The additional wave of financial assistance “is expected to go to organizations that serve the off-reserve Indigenous population, such as the National Association of Friendship Centres,” according to the wire service, which notes that Indigenous people living off-reserve are also eligible for the $2,000 per month emergency benefit package.

According to his official agenda, he’ll also check in with his provincial and territorial counterparts, take part in various unspecified “private meetings” and hit the virtual diplomatic circuit by joining a conference call with members of the United Nations Asia-Pacific Group.

Notably absent from his public itinerary, however, is any reference to the regularly scheduled web meeting of the SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, which will get underway with or without him at noon.

ON AND AROUND THE HILL

Green MP Paul Manly drops by the West Block press theatre to share his thoughts on “the importance of Canada’s international obligations” amid the global public health crisis, including “the delay in establishing … new climate targets, the lifting of the ban on weapon exports to Saudi Arabia and the intention of Israel’s new coalition government to annex Palestinian territories,” all of which are, as per the advisory, “specific areas of concern.” (9:30 AM)

Also on the public policy watchlist today: Experiences Canada and the Vanier Institute for the Family team up with the Association for Canadian Studies for a “virtual press conference” to release the results of a new survey that, according to the notice, shows that the current pandemic “is uniquely harming Canadian youth,” who ‘have been forced to make major changes to their lives, including missing school, friends and visits with extended family members.” (10:45 AM)

ON THE VIRTUAL COMMITTEE CIRCUIT

FINANCE members kick off an extended meeting with a one-hour session with Small Business Minister Mary Ng, followed by presentations from the Canadian Juries Commission, Fish, Food and Allied Workers and the Stratford Festival, as well as Unifor president Jerry Dias, Globe and Mail publisher Phillip Crawley and Carleton University associate professor Jennifer Robson before wrapping up with a briefing from the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. (3 – 7 PM)

Over at INDUSTRY, members hear from Google Canada public policy head Colin McKay as well as representatives from CyberQuebec, IBM Canada and Mimik. (5 – 7 PM)

Due to the ongoing parliamentary shutdown, most House and Senate committee meetings are suspended until regular sittings resume.